The Namura Stone (The Ammonite Galaxy, book 6)

Chapter 4

DIVA ASKED ARCAN to transport them directly to the 1st floor of the 367th skyrise on Valhai and to take Vion there too.

Vion stared down at Tallen's injured leg. "That will need microsurgery," he told her flatly, quickly removing the makeshift tourniquet. "Immediately."

Diva closed her eyes. "Can I do anything?"

"Yes. I need somebody to hand me the instruments. I need to get this done as quickly as I can. You can scrub up and help me."

"What?" Diva had never done anything like that before; she wasn't at all sure that she wanted to start now.

"Come on, Diva. If we want to save that leg for this young man, we are going to have to start right now! I would get my father, but he has been called out to one of the asteroids after a mining accident."

She blinked, and then looked around for something to put on. Vion indicated the sterile robes to one side of the operating theatre, and she moved over, as if in a dream, to put them on.

Tallen looked unhappy. "Can't you do it by yourself?" he demanded, fixing Vion with a hard look.

"No I can't. And if you don't want things like this to happen then I suggest you keep yourself out of battles with swords. Inevitably, somebody will get hurt."

Tallen stiffened. "And what would you know about it, Sellite?"

"More than you, clearly, if you need my help."

"We didn't choose the fight."

"I believe you. Fights have the habit of following Diva around."

Diva glowered. "It's not my fault if people keep trying to assassinate us, is it?"

Vion tipped his head to one side. "It may not be," he said, clearly unconvinced.

Diva made a low growl deep in her throat, but tied a surgical mask over her face.

"All right, then, let's get this thing over with."

Tallen stared up between his two saviours. "My blood's red," he informed Diva helpfully. "—In case you've only ever seen the blue kind."

She muttered something about giving him blue blood if he didn't shut up.

The Namuri fell into a hurt silence which stretched into unconsciousness as Vion applied a generous measure of anesthetic. This meant that he didn't see Diva's face turn pale as she watched and helped the doctor. She had caused more than a few wounds in her time, but this was the first time she had been on the mending end of one like this, and it wasn't the most pleasant experience that she had ever had. Drops of perspiration stood out on her forehead, and Vion looked across at her rather doubtfully from time to time.

At last, the job was done, and they moved out of the operating theatre to take off the protective robes.

"Will he be all right?" asked Diva.

"He needs blood," said Vion shortly. "A lot of it. We need to find somebody compatible."

Diva thought for a moment. "Mandalon has Namuri guards now, hasn't he? We could ask them to test for compatibility."

"Good idea. Can you go over? I don't want to leave Tallen."

Diva nodded. "But I will have to ask Arcan to take me. I'm not sure the Sellites would appreciate my wafting around their planet on my own. You know what they are like!"

Vion nodded. "I do, although, after the Second Valhai Votation, things have begun to change."